A massive demonstration led by the Awami Action Committee and All Party Alliance swept through Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan on December 21, denouncing exorbitant electricity tariffs and burdensome taxes imposed on the populace. Voices echoed a resolute commitment to persist until their Charter of Demands is met, with no intention of conceding ground on their principled stance.

The demonstration witnessed support and participation from all walks of life. A large number of people participated in the protest meeting at Gilgit Diniyar Alamdar Chowk Shahrukh Qaraqram for their rights and against the reduction in wheat subsidy. The protestors stated that until the occupying government of Gilgit-Baltistan withdraws its illegal and cruel decisions, the protests will continue throughout POGB and there will be no talks with the occupying government. They also called for the start of Gilgit Chalo movement as the occupying government did not resolve the public demands presented by the Awami Action Committee of POGB.

Backdrop of protest

Evidently, the protest was organised after a meeting of Awami Action Committee and All Party Alliance held on December 19. Representatives from diverse sectors, spanning political, religious, and business spheres, convened in a joint meeting at a hotel in Skardu, chaired by Ehsan Ali Advocate, Chairman of the Awami Action Committee. The meeting was attended by the various leaders from the Awami Action Committee of Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (POGB). The discourse revolved around the exploitation of regional resources by the occupying Pakistani authorities, leaving the indigenous people bereft of fundamental necessities.

A critical point of contention highlighted during the meeting was the termination of wheat flour subsidies, which is a clear violation of UN regulations safeguarding the rights of the contested territory’s inhabitants. The looming threat of indiscriminate taxes compounded the distress, exacerbating the grievances of the Kashmiris.

In the meeting it was unanimously approved that following the disapproval of the demands by the occupying government on December 20, an expansive protest movement would be initiated across Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan on December 21. The demonstrations involved road blockades and gatherings in various districts, specifically targeting the inflated wheat prices. Moreover, there’s a potential expansion of protests to other regions if the grievances persist unaddressed.

The recent protest is the latest in the strings of protests, sit-ins and demonstrations that have been held by the Awami Action Committee in POGB. However, the Pakistani puppet government has not seriously put up the grievances of the people. Interestingly, the Awami Action Committee also seems committed for its ‘Charter of Demands’.

They say names can be deceptive and there’s no better example of this than what Islamabad touts as ‘Azad [free] Kashmir’, the area of J&K under its illegal control, which is appropriately referred to as Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir [PoJK]. While Islamabad tries its best to portray the people of PoJK as a happy and contented lot, the harsh truth of the hardship and institutionalised discrimination being faced by those living in this region is a well known and established fact.

What Islamabad hasn’t been able to explain is that if the people of PoJK are indeed extremely happy being a part of Pakistan [as it so vociferously claims], then what explains inclusion of section 7 [3] in the constitution of PoJK that reads, “No person or political party in Azad Jammu and Kashmir shall be permitted to propagate against, or take part in activities prejudicial or detrimental to, the ideology of the State’s accession to Pakistan”? [Emphasis added]. Such a serious impingement of fundamental rights however has let the cat out of the bag! 

Yet, despite making fundamental right of expression an offence under the constitution, Islamabad still wants the world to believe that the people of PoJK are ‘azad’ and perhaps that’s why it takes so much pains to peddle its patently false narrative on this issue. And with the Government of Pakistan sponsoring the visit of controversial US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s 2022 visit to PoJK and even paying for her food and lodging, Islamabad’s sheer desperation to sell its incredulous ‘Azad Kashmir’ tale is apparent.

That those living in PoJK are treated as second class citizens is evident from the fact that acute shortage of rations and essential commodities along with frequent and prolonged power outages are forcing its residents  to come out on the streets in protest. Though Pakistani media [expectedly] didn’t cover these developments, amateur videos of protests went viral on social media due to which Islamabad’s attempt to muzzle the media in a bid to keep growing unrest in PoJK under wraps came to naught.

The most conspicuous aspect in these videos is that besides the usual anti-government rant, the “kabiz fauji murdabad” [Down with the army of occupation] slogan were also raised by locals. In PoJK including Pak-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan [GB], locals are also protesting against illegal land occupation by the Pakistan army and Frontier Corps and they have prevented the security from demolishing houses and usurping land. 

Due to such arbitrary actions by the Pakistan Army, denial of fundamental rights and absence of a credible system for people to redress their grievances, locals rightly feel that Pakistan treats PoJK as a colony. That’s why its residents have started threatening to join India and as a matter of right, are even demanding opening of traditional trading routes to Kashmir Valley.

Yet Islamabad contends that all’s well in PoJK and one would have surely agreed, had ground realities not suggested otherwise. On December 13, Law Minister Mian Abdul Waheed submitted a new bill titled ‘Azad Jammu and Kashmir Defamation Act 2021’ in the PoJK legislative assembly which further restricts freedom of expression and the right to know.

This bizarre bill seeks to criminalise criticism of PoJK government policies, officials, departments, or institutions on print, electronic and social media and courts will have to give a verdict within 90 days. So the question that arises is- if things in PoJK are really hunky dory as Islamabad claims, where is the need for enacting this draconian law?

The answer isn’t very hard to find. Thanks to Islamabad’s abject apathy, PoJK continues to suffer immensely on all fronts. Besides severe shortage of essential commodities and recurring power failures, withdrawal of subsidies on wheat and other goods has come as a double whammy for the beleaguered people of PoJK. To add to their woes, the PoJK government seems to have little time for the people.

To make things worse, Islamabad has not only withdrawn PoJK’s electricity subsidy  but also introduced a steep hike in power tariff ranging from Rs. 3 to Rs. 7.50 per unit, which the impoverished people of PoJK can ill afford. The fact that Islamabad is buying power from Mangla dam in PoJK at incredibly low rates and then charging PoJK residents more than 10 times this cost only goes to buttress the fact that Pakistan is treating PoJK as a colony and exploiting its resources without compensating the locals.

Earlier, Islamabad imposed media censorship to keep people of PoJK in the dark and used propaganda to make them believe that they were far better off than their brethren living in J&K. However, in the age of internet, people of PoJK can no longer be fooled and they are well aware of the rapid progress that J&K is making.

New Delhi’s firm determination as well as its substantial fund allocation for developmental and infrastructural improvement projects in J&K is in stark contrast to Islamabad’s discernable indifference towards PoJK. So, it is but natural that people living in PoJK not only feel cheated but also exploited by Pakistan, and hence their threat to chant anti Pakistan slogans and threats to join India are ways of expressing their deep frustration with Islamabad.

The ambitious China Pakistan Economic Corridor [CPEC] project through PoJK has added to the woes of inhabitants. While extraordinary security considerations are causing locals immense hardships, no meaningful benefit in terms of improvement in quality of life or opening up of employment avenues have come to them from CPEC. Au contraire, CPEC has been instrumental in aggravating environmental hazards in GB.

A 2018 ANI tweet mentions that “36 glacial lakes in various valleys of #Gilgit Baltistan declared dangerous due to melting, at least seven of them pose a threat to locals, says survey by a Pakistan based NGO. The region has been facing environmental issues since [the] launch of CPEC.” [Emphasis added]. Just four years later, this apprehension came true and the resultant floods caused widespread destruction and devastation in POGB.

So, with Islamabad failing the people of PoJK on all fronts but wanting to keep up appearances, its attempts to even muzzle constructive  criticism is inescapable and getting the ‘Azad Jammu and Kashmir Defamation Act 2021’ bill passed through the puppet PoJK government is understandable. However, whether such curbs on freedom of expression will help is doubtful, because as Abraham Lincoln had said, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.”

Security forces launched a significant search operation on Friday in response to a terrorist attack that claimed the lives of four soldiers and left three others injured in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. The attack, which occurred between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz, within the Surankote police station’s jurisdiction, targeted an Army vehicle on Thursday.

Meanwhile, reports have surfaced indicating a heightened state of alert in the Rajouri-Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Allegedly, there are suspicions regarding the presence of 25-30 Pakistani terrorists hiding in the forested areas of the region. This revelation has added urgency to the ongoing search operation, prompting intensified efforts by security forces to locate and neutralize any potential threats.

Promptly after the tragic incident, security forces mobilized a massive cordon and search operation in the forested areas of Poonch district. Utilizing aerial monitoring and deploying sniffer dogs, law enforcement agencies are diligently scouring the terrain to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the ambush on two Army vehicles.

Terrorist attack on Indian army in Poonch

The assault, which unfolded at a blind curve at Dhatyar Morh around 3.45 p.m. on Thursday, took the lives of four soldiers who were en route to participate in a cordon-and-search operation.In a disturbing turn of events following the attack, officials reported the mutilation of the bodies of at least two soldiers and the seizure of weapons belonging to some of the deceased personnel.

As part of the ongoing investigation, security officials are meticulously examining the site to decipher the tactics employed during the assault, including the potential use of steel core bullets by the assailants.

The operation underscores the heightened alertness and swift response of security forces to tackle such threats in the region. The search operation remains ongoing, reflecting the commitment of law enforcement to bring those responsible to justice and prevent further such incidents.

The reported suspicions of a presence of Pakistani terrorists in the Rajouri-Poonch sector emphasize the complexity and gravity of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting the persistent challenges faced by security personnel in the volatile region.